The school year is coming to an end. I have begun my review classes in anticipation for our English finals on May 30 & 31. Because I started in the middle of the school year, I need to review basics (like grammar) as well as content for my 9th and 10th graders.

I have one student who has been a challenge. She is incredibly bright, but refuses to do any work whatsoever. She failed the first semester miserably (43 average) and she is looking to do the same for the second semester. I have tried everything: one on one instruction, tutoring during lunch and extra time to hand in assignments. She has turned down every single thing I have offered her. She is rude: talking in class and late to class with no pass on most days. I’ve called home and written referrals to no avail. Today I decided to let go. Even if she did every single assignment before the end of the year, it wouldn’t matter. A passing grade would not save her from failing 9th grade English. My district does not offer summer school. She will be able to move on to 10th grade, but will need to make up anything she fails in 9th grade on her own time (virtual school or night school next year).

I wrote her up last Friday for arriving late to class with a forged pass and sneaking out early before the bell. Today when she started up with her usual drama, I moved a conscientious student away from her so I could keep her from being distracted. We had a grammar overview of adverbs. Many of my kids struggle with basic grammar. The lesson went off without too many distractions (she asked for the bathroom pass and left for a good 15 minutes) and afterwards I had a short 10 question quiz. All of a sudden my challenging student announced to the class that she needed something to write with. I continued handing out the quizzes while she continued ranting on and on not directing her complaining to anyone in particular. When she finally directed her question at me personally “Do you have a pen I can have?” , I replied “No, I’m sorry I don’t.” I had one pen which I was using and to be honest, she pissed me off and I was not going to give her my last pen. I told her she should come prepared to school and she became indignant and said she couldn’t take the quiz. In not one of my finer moments I replied, “It won’t matter much anyway, will it?” As soon as the words left my mouth I felt bad. I’m the teacher. I’m always supposed to care. How could I be so callous? The girl I moved away from her scored a 90 on the quiz. I was able to reach her. Why couldn’t I reach the other girl? There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t learn something from being a teacher.